About Me

Monday, 10 December 2012

Unicorn Body Hair

No, I’m
sorry; this isn’t about unicorn body hair. Ha. Made you look, though. This is
actually an update about London. Or Landahn as good queen Bess likes to call
it. I recently had the pleasure of once more perusing its golden streets in
search of some new hostelries. And, naturally, pay homage to some old
favourites.

Craft is, of
course, the brand that has been taking London by storm in recent times. They’ve
now opened another two outlets, both excellent in terms of choice (Fyne Jarl
was the anointed one), but different in style. Their Brixton outpost is
reminiscent of Leather Lane, a cosy, modern corner-fronted pub with nice views
of the adjacent market.﻿﻿

Craft in
Islington has a different vibe; with its front bar and distinctive coloured
rooms. Islington, never too shabby on the pub front, is now setting the
standard for new openings. The Pig and Butcher is packing them in with its
gourmet food offerings but even they, like everywhere else visited locally, are
paying more than a nod to the beer side of things.﻿﻿

I really
liked the Earl of Essex. Its wraparound bar and beer board made a very good
impression, despite it being crammed to the ceiling. I can see myself spending
a bit of time in there at a quieter time. The same goes for the North Pole.
This is another beer heavyweight; boasting an excellent range that, not so long
ago, would have been unheard of in the capital.

Of course,
no London trip is complete without a visit to the Euston Tap-where the delights
of Summer Wine awaited. The Old Fountain was also as reliable as ever and
delivered Oakham Citra which was enjoyed on their splendid rooftop terrace. And quality time was spent at Kernel supping their Columbus, Tomahawk, Zeus infusion.

So, another
quality visit that leaves lots of possibilities for more exploration next time.